Wiley EBay Business All In One Desk Reference For Dummies May 2006 ISBN 0764584383 pdf

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  eBay ®

  Business

A L L - I N - O N E D E S K R E F E R E N C E

  

FOR

DUMmIES

  ‰

  

by Marsha Collier

eBay

  ® Business

  

A L L - I N - O N E D E S K R E F E R E N C E

FOR

  

DUMmIES

‰

  ® ® eBay Business All-in-One Desk Reference For Dummies Published by Wiley Publishing, Inc.

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ISBN-13: 978-0-7645-8438-1

  ISBN-10: 0-7645-8438-3 Manufactured in the United States of America 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 10/SQ/QU/QV/IN About the Author

Marsha Collier spends most of her time on something related to eBay. She’s

  a charter-member eBay PowerSeller as well as one of the original instructors for eBay University. As a columnist, an author of four best-selling books on eBay, a television and radio expert, and a lecturer, she shares her knowledge of eBay with millions of online shoppers. Thousands of eBay fans also visit her Web site, www.coolebaytools.com, to get Marsha’s latest insights on e-commerce.

  Out of college, Marsha worked in fashion advertising for the Miami Herald and then as special projects manager for the Los Angeles Daily News. She also founded a home-based advertising and marketing business. Her successful business, the Collier Company, Inc., was featured by Entrepreneur magazine in 1986, and in 1990, Marsha’s company received the Small Business of the Year award from her California State Assemblyman and the Northridge Chamber of Commerce. Bargains drew Marsha to eBay in 1996, but profitable sales keep her busy on the site now. Marsha applies her business acumen to eBay, and in this book, she shares that knowledge with you. In eBay Business All-in-One Desk

  Reference For Dummies, Marsha combines her knowledge of business, mar-

  keting, and eBay savvy to help you make a smooth and quick transition from part-time seller to full-time moneymaker.

  Dedication

  I dedicate this book to budding eBay entrepreneurs. This book will help you through the tough spots and, I hope, to a hugely successful eBay business.

  Author’s Acknowledgments

  My career on eBay is totally due to the kindness of others. I have met many fine people on eBay and I’d love to acknowledge them all (but my publisher won’t let me have the space). I’d like to thank the eBay education group: Susan Philips, Sharon Guldner, Mike Rudolf, and Tom Cotton. My goal is your goal; we’re in this education thing together.

  Thanks also to Marc Cohen and Mark Oleesky from the KABC Computer & Technology Show for letting me stand in for a missing host every now and then. I’ve learned a lot from you guys and it’s about time I thanked you publicly! And thanks to the Wiley crew, once again: Andy Cummings, for the access; Steven Hayes, for your creativity and humanity in a dog-eat-dog publishing business, and Susan Pink, for your continued work on my books — I’ll bet this will be the last one for a while! Patti Louise Ruby, my technical editor, is also my good friend. Thank you for your fine work on this challenging project.

  Publisher’s Acknowledgments

We’re proud of this book; please send us your comments through our online registration form

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  Some of the people who helped bring this book to market include the following: Acquisitions, Editorial, and Media Development

  Project Editor: Susan Pink Acquisitions Editor: Steve Hayes Technical Editor: Patti Louise Ruby Editorial Manager: Carol Sheehan Media Development Supervisor:

  Richard Graves Editorial Assistant: Amanda Foxworth Cartoons: Rich Tennant (www.the5thwave.com)

  Composition Services Project Coordinator: Adrienne Martinez Layout and Graphics: Andrea Dahl,

  Denny Hager, Stephanie D. Jumper, Lynsey Osborn, Melanee Prendergast, Heather Ryan, Julie Trippetti

  Proofreaders: Laura L. Bowman, John Greenough, Leeann Harney, Carl Pierce

  Indexer: Richard T. Evans Special Help: Laura L. Bowman

  Publishing and Editorial for Technology Dummies Richard Swadley, Vice President and Executive Group Publisher Andy Cummings, Vice President and Publisher Mary Bednarek, Executive Acquisitions Director Mary C. Corder, Editorial Director

  Publishing for Consumer Dummies Diane Graves Steele, Vice President and Publisher Joyce Pepple, Acquisitions Director

  Composition Services Gerry Fahey, Vice President of Production Services Debbie Stailey, Director of Composition Services

  Contents at a Glance

Introduction .................................................................1

  

Part I: eBay Basics.......................................................5

Chapter 1: Hooking Up with Online Technology ............................................................7 Chapter 2: Navigating through eBay ..............................................................................19 Chapter 3: Signing Up and Getting Started....................................................................31 Chapter 4: Understanding eBay Sales............................................................................53 Chapter 5: Checking Things Out Before Buying ...........................................................75 Chapter 6: Bidding to Win ...............................................................................................97 Chapter 7: Completing the Transaction ......................................................................119 Chapter 8: Participating in the Community ................................................................137 Part II: Essential Tools ..............................................157 Chapter 1: Researching on eBay...................................................................................159 Chapter 2: Researching on the Web .............................................................................177 Chapter 3: Efficient Communications for Better Sales ..............................................189 Chapter 4: Simplifying Payment with PayPal ..............................................................201 Chapter 5: Using eBay’s Management Tools ...............................................................215 Part III: Selling Like a Pro ........................................237 Chapter 1: Be Sure Your Listings Make Cents.............................................................239 Chapter 2: Understanding the Finer Points of Selling................................................265 Chapter 3: Listing Your Items for Sale .........................................................................291 Chapter 4: Using eBay’s Turbo Lister ..........................................................................325 Chapter 5: Managing Your Sales on My eBay..............................................................337 Chapter 6: Using PayPal to Organize Your Sales ........................................................355 Chapter 7: Checking Out Payment Alternatives .........................................................371 Part IV: Sourcing Merchandise...................................385 Chapter 1: Understanding Online Retailing ................................................................387 Chapter 2: Buying Merchandise Like the Pros............................................................397 Chapter 3: Selling Other People’s Stuff........................................................................415 Chapter 4: Liquidation and Drop-Shipping .................................................................427

  

Part V: Presenting Your Items....................................439

Chapter 1: Your eBay Photo Studio..............................................................................441 Chapter 2: Mastering eBay Photography ....................................................................455 Chapter 3: Sprucing Up Your Listings with HTML......................................................471 Chapter 4: Getting Your Photos Ready for eBay ........................................................491 Chapter 5: Getting Your Photos on the Web ...............................................................505 Part VI: Promoting Your Goods...................................519 Chapter 1: Marketing Your Listings on eBay...............................................................521 Chapter 2: Developing Your Web Site ..........................................................................531 Chapter 3: Marketing Your Web Site and eBay Store .................................................543 Chapter 4: Using PayPal to Increase Your Sales .........................................................557 Chapter 5: Getting Advertising Dollars from eBay .....................................................571 Part VII: Storing and Shipping...................................579 Chapter 1: Organizing Your Merchandise and Shipping Department......................581 Chapter 2: Shipping without Going Postal ..................................................................601 Chapter 3: Insuring Your Item’s Delivery ....................................................................627 Part VIII: Power Selling ............................................639 Chapter 1: Upgrading to eBay’s Selling Manager .......................................................641 Chapter 2: Mechanizing with Third-Party Auction Management Tools ..................657 Chapter 3: Studying Your Statistics..............................................................................675 Chapter 4: Giving Customers Outside Assurance ......................................................685 Chapter 5: Becoming a PowerSeller .............................................................................697 Chapter 6: Opening Your eBay Store ...........................................................................701 Part IX: Office and Legal ..........................................719 Chapter 1: Getting Legal with the State and the Feds................................................721 Chapter 2: The Joys of Taxes and Business Reporting..............................................731 Chapter 3: Using Bookkeeping Software......................................................................745 Chapter 4: Keeping Your Business Secure Online ......................................................763 Chapter 5: Networking Your Office ..............................................................................777 Index........................................................................789

  Table of Contents

Introduction..................................................................1

  About the Book.................................................................................................1 What You’re Not to Read.................................................................................1 Foolish Assumptions .......................................................................................2 How This Book Is Organized...........................................................................2

  Book I: eBay Basics ................................................................................2 Book II: Essential Tools..........................................................................2 Book III: Selling Like a Pro .....................................................................3 Book IV: Sourcing Merchandise............................................................3 Book V: Presenting Your Items ............................................................3 Book VI: Promoting Your Goods ...........................................................3 Book VII: Storing and Shipping .............................................................3 Book VIII: Power Selling .........................................................................3 Book IX: Office and Legal.......................................................................4

  Icons Used in This Book..................................................................................4 Where to Go from Here....................................................................................4

  

Part I: eBay Basics .......................................................5

Chapter 1: Hooking Up with Online Technology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Starting with the Right Computer ..................................................................7 The absolute necessities .......................................................................7 Buying a used computer........................................................................8 Buying a refurbished computer............................................................9 Upgrading your system with the help of eBay ...................................9 Connecting to eBay without a Computer....................................................10 Libraries: From Dewey Decimal to eBay............................................10 Commercial cyber-outlets ...................................................................11 Hooking up from work .........................................................................11 Choosing an ISP ..............................................................................................11 Accessing E-Mail.............................................................................................13 Browsing for a Browser .................................................................................14 Perusing the menus..............................................................................16 Dabbling with the toolbar ...................................................................16 Expert keyboard shortcuts .................................................................18

  eBay Business All-in-One Desk Reference For Dummies xii

  Chapter 2: Navigating through eBay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19 Homing In on the Home Page .......................................................................19 Home page links, the next generation ...............................................20 Bottoming out .......................................................................................23 Navigating eBay the Easy Way......................................................................24 Maneuvering the Categories.........................................................................28 Exploring Home Page Search Options.........................................................30 Chapter 3: Signing Up and Getting Started . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31 Registering on eBay .......................................................................................31 Filling in required information............................................................33 Do you solemnly swear?......................................................................36 It must be true if you have it in writing .............................................37 Your license to deal (almost)..............................................................38 Picking a Pickproof Password ......................................................................39 Selecting Your User ID ...................................................................................40 Signing In to Deal............................................................................................41 Verifying Your ID.............................................................................................42

  eBay Is Watching Over You ...........................................................................43 Abuses you should report to Trust and Safety.................................44 Reporting abuses..................................................................................47 Don’t get caught in a trading violation ..............................................50

  Chapter 4: Understanding eBay Sales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53 Checking Out the Listing Page......................................................................53 Bidding on Auctions ......................................................................................59 Automatic bidding................................................................................59 Private auctions....................................................................................62 Multiple-item auctions .........................................................................62 Buying an Item Outright ................................................................................62 Buy It Now .............................................................................................63 Fixed-price sales ...................................................................................63 Shopping eBay stores ..........................................................................63 Supercategories and Specialties ..................................................................66 Real estate .............................................................................................67 Cruising eBay Motors ..........................................................................67 Supercategories ....................................................................................70 Chapter 5: Checking Things Out Before Buying . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .75 Understanding and Giving Feedback...........................................................75 The magic feedback number...............................................................76 Becoming a star ....................................................................................77 Leaving feedback with finesse ............................................................78 You have the last word — responding to feedback .........................82 Scrutinizing a Seller’s Reputation ................................................................83 Conducting a “light” seller examination............................................84

  Table of Contents xiii

  Comparing Items Before Buying...................................................................90 Getting Protection on eBay...........................................................................92 eBay fraud protection ..........................................................................92 eBay Motors limited warranty ............................................................93 eBay Motors vehicle purchase protection ........................................94 PayPal buyer protection......................................................................94 BuySAFE bond.......................................................................................95 SquareTrade buyer protection ...........................................................95 Verified Rights Owner program ..........................................................96

  

Chapter 6: Bidding to Win . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .97

Understanding the Bidding Action ..............................................................98 Placing your bid....................................................................................98 Bidding to the max with automatic (proxy) bidding .....................100 The Secret’s in the Timing ..........................................................................101 Using the lounging-around strategy.................................................103 Using the beat-the-clock strategy.....................................................104 In the last few minutes.......................................................................104 Shopping the Machiavellian Way ...............................................................105 My favorite bidding strategies..........................................................107 Quick bidding tips ..............................................................................110 Bidder’s research software ...............................................................111 Succeeding by Sniping.................................................................................112 Sniping techniques for the beginner................................................112 Auto-sniping your auctions...............................................................115 Retracting Your Bid in an Emergency........................................................116

Chapter 7: Completing the Transaction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .119

Checking Out ................................................................................................120 Using Your Credit Card Safely.....................................................................121 Knowing your credit card company’s policy ..................................122 Adding a layer of protection with an online checkout service ....123 Paying with PayPal.......................................................................................124 Registering at PayPal .........................................................................124 Giving PayPal credit card or checking account information ........124 Getting PayPal-verified ......................................................................126 Ways to pay through PayPal .............................................................126 Using PayPal’s eBay Payment Tool ..................................................127 Making a PayPal payment .................................................................128 Sending a Money Order ...............................................................................129 Writing a Check ............................................................................................130 Paying through CheckFree ..........................................................................131 Sending Payment Promptly and Securely .................................................131 Contacting the Seller ...................................................................................132 Leaving Responsible Feedback ..................................................................134 Missing or damaged shipment..........................................................134 Item doesn’t meet your expectations ..............................................134

  eBay Business All-in-One Desk Reference For Dummies xiv

  Chapter 8: Participating in the Community . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .137 Your Home on eBay: About Me ..................................................................137 Gathering your thoughts ...................................................................140 Setting up the page.............................................................................141 Playing Nice with Other eBay Members....................................................146 News and chat, this and that ............................................................146 Hear ye, Hear ye! eBay’s announcement boards ............................147 Help! I need somebody ......................................................................149 Community chat rooms .....................................................................150 User-to-user discussion boards........................................................151 Other chat rooms (message boards) ...............................................151 Sharing knowledge in category-specific chat boards ....................155 Joining eBay Groups ....................................................................................155 Part II: Essential Tools...............................................157 Chapter 1: Researching on eBay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .159 Working eBay’s Search Engine....................................................................159 Going where the Search button takes you ......................................159 Performing a basic search.................................................................162 Refining even the most basic search ...............................................164 Searching for items by seller ............................................................167 Searching for items by bidder ..........................................................168 Searching stores .................................................................................169 Working with Search Results ......................................................................170 More on eBay ......................................................................................171 Matching categories...........................................................................171 Search options ....................................................................................172 Finding eBay Members ................................................................................173 Understanding eBay’s Category Hierarchy...............................................174 How the structure works...................................................................174 Drilling down to your item ................................................................175 Chapter 2: Researching on the Web . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .177 Researching Collectible Auctions ..............................................................177 Quizzing the seller..............................................................................180 Useful publications ............................................................................181 Online Sources of Information....................................................................183 Web sites .............................................................................................184 Online search engines........................................................................184 Online appraisals................................................................................185 Authentication services.....................................................................186

  Table of Contents xv

  

Chapter 3: Efficient Communications for Better Sales . . . . . . . . . . . .189

Communicating with Your Customers.......................................................189 Initial inquiry through eBay’s e-mail service ..................................190 The winner’s notification letter ........................................................193 Let’s keep e-mailing............................................................................194 The payment reminder ......................................................................196 The payment received and shipping notice ...................................196 The “Your item is on the way” e-mail...............................................197 Communicating with the Seller ..................................................................198

Chapter 4: Simplifying Payment with PayPal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .201

Understanding How PayPal Works ............................................................202 Sending money through PayPal........................................................202 Figuring out payment types ..............................................................203 PayPal’s Protection Plans............................................................................204 PayPal buyer protection....................................................................204 PayPal seller protection ....................................................................206 Sorting Out PayPal’s Accounts ...................................................................207 PayPal personal account ...................................................................208 Business and premier accounts .......................................................208 Downloading Your Payment History from PayPal ...................................209 Customizing and downloading your reports ..................................210 Saving and editing your reports .......................................................213

Chapter 5: Using eBay’s Management Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .215

Signing In to Get Going ................................................................................215 Taking Advantage of My eBay.....................................................................216 My eBay: Summary Page .............................................................................219 My eBay: All Buying Page ............................................................................220 Watching link.......................................................................................221 Bidding link .........................................................................................222 Won link ...............................................................................................223 Didn’t win link .....................................................................................225 My eBay: All Favorites Page........................................................................225 Searches link .......................................................................................225 Sellers link ...........................................................................................227 Categories link ....................................................................................227 My eBay: My Account Page.........................................................................229 Personal information link ..................................................................229 Manage subscriptions link ................................................................230

  eBay preferences link.........................................................................230 Feedback link ......................................................................................231

  eBay Business All-in-One Desk Reference For Dummies xvi

  Ramping Up with Selling Manager .............................................................232 First glimpse of Selling Manager.......................................................232 Scheduled listings link .......................................................................234 Active listings link ..............................................................................234 Sold listings link..................................................................................234 Sold listings past due link..................................................................235 Archived listings link .........................................................................235 Seller tools...........................................................................................236 Cross-promotions ...............................................................................236

  Part III: Selling Like a Pro .........................................237 Chapter 1: Be Sure Your Listings Make Cents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .239 Keeping an Eye on Where the Pennies Go ................................................239 Insertion (listing) fees........................................................................240 Reserve price auctions ......................................................................241

  eBay’s Optional Listing Features................................................................244 Home-page featured auctions ...........................................................246 Featured Plus ......................................................................................247 Subtitle.................................................................................................247 Highlight ..............................................................................................248 Border ..................................................................................................249 Listing Designer ..................................................................................249 Boldface ...............................................................................................250 View counter .......................................................................................250 Gallery photo ......................................................................................250 Buy It Now ...........................................................................................252 eBay Picture Services ........................................................................253

  Adding the Final Value Fees ........................................................................254 Selling Variations in Auctions .....................................................................255

  Traditional auctions...........................................................................256 Multiple-item (Dutch) auctions ........................................................256 Restricted access auctions ...............................................................257 Private auctions..................................................................................258

  PayPal Gets Its Cut .......................................................................................259 Totaling Fees with FeeFinder ......................................................................260 Setting Sensible Shipping Costs .................................................................262

  Chapter 2: Understanding the Finer Points of Selling . . . . . . . . . . . . .265 Strategies for Running Your Sales ..............................................................265 Selling strategies.................................................................................265 Knowing what day to end an auction ..............................................269 Knowing what time to start your auction .......................................271

  Table of Contents xvii

  Making Money in Other eBay Zones ..........................................................273 eBay’s half brother: Half.com............................................................273 Automotive? Go eBay Motors ...........................................................276 Live auctions.......................................................................................278 Real estate: Not quite an auction .....................................................278

  Selling by the Rules......................................................................................280 Is what you want to sell legal? ..........................................................280 Prohibited items .................................................................................281 Questionable items ............................................................................283 Potentially infringing items ...............................................................284 Listing violations ................................................................................284 Linking from your auctions ...............................................................289

  

Chapter 3: Listing Your Items for Sale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .291

Getting Ready to List Your Item .................................................................291 Filling in Required Blanks............................................................................296 Selecting a category ...........................................................................297 Listing your items in two categories................................................300 Creating the perfect item title...........................................................301 Writing your description ...................................................................305 Listing the number of items for sale ................................................309 Setting a minimum bid — how low can you go?.............................309 Buy It Now ...........................................................................................310 Setting your auction time ..................................................................310 Your secret safety net — reserve price ...........................................312 I want to be alone: The private auction...........................................313 Put me in the gallery ..........................................................................314 Filling out the item location ..............................................................314 A picture is worth a thousand words ..............................................314 Listing Designer ..................................................................................314 Listing the payment methods you’ll accept....................................315 Setting shipping terms.......................................................................316 Checking Your Work and Starting the Auction.........................................321 Making Midcourse Corrections ..................................................................322 Making changes before bidding begins ...........................................322 Making changes after bidding begins ..............................................323

Chapter 4: Using eBay’s Turbo Lister . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .325

Features and Minimum Requirements ......................................................325 Downloading and Starting Turbo Lister....................................................327 Preparing an eBay Listing ...........................................................................328 Designing your listing ........................................................................331 Getting down to specifics..................................................................333 Organizing your listings.....................................................................334 Uploading items to eBay....................................................................335

  eBay Business All-in-One Desk Reference For Dummies xviii

  Chapter 5: Managing Your Sales on My eBay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .337 Managing Your All Selling Area...................................................................337 My eBay: Items I’m Selling page .......................................................338 My eBay: Items I’ve Sold page...........................................................340 My eBay: Unsold Items page .............................................................343 Notifying Winners and Sending Invoices...................................................343 Notifying winners ...............................................................................343 Thanking them kindly ........................................................................345 Thanks for the money! .......................................................................345 Tracking Payments in All Selling ................................................................346 Relisting Items without Extra Work ...........................................................347 Relisting after a win............................................................................348 If at first you don’t succeed ..............................................................348 Okay, time to relist (or Sell Similar) .................................................349

  eBay Bidder-Management Tools ................................................................350 Canceling bids.....................................................................................350 Ending your listing early ...................................................................351 Blocking buyers ..................................................................................353 Preapproving bidders ........................................................................353

  Chapter 6: Using PayPal to Organize Your Sales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .355 PayPal Particulars ........................................................................................355 Registering with PayPal...............................................................................358 The Auction and Merchant Tools...............................................................361 Payment Tracking Information...................................................................362 Payment notification through e-mail ...............................................362 Post-Sale Manager ..............................................................................362 The Outlook Payment Request Wizard .....................................................366 Chapter 7: Checking Out Payment Alternatives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .371 The Simple Money Order ............................................................................371

  7-Eleven (and other convenience stores) .......................................372 United States Postal Service .............................................................372 BidPay ..................................................................................................373

  Pay Me When You Get This.........................................................................374 The Check Is in the Mail ..............................................................................374

  Paper checks.......................................................................................375 eChecks and instant transfers ..........................................................376 Hold This for Me...........................................................................................376

  I Take Plastic .................................................................................................378 Credit card payment services...........................................................379 Your very own merchant account....................................................380 Costco member’s credit card processing........................................382 The VeriSign Payflow link service ....................................................383

  Table of Contents xix

  

Part IV: Sourcing Merchandise ...................................385